Device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface



R. W. WILSON Sept. 30, 1952 DEVICE FOR APPLYING PELLETS TO AN UPRIGHT ADHESIVE SURFACE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Sept. 26, 1946 INVHVTOR.

ATTORNEY R. w. WILSON 2,612,374

DEVICE FOR APPLYING PELLETS TO AN UPRIGHT ADHESIVE SURFACE Sept. 30, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 26, 1946 'JIE. 6

INVENTOR. 8% MW BY ATTOEA/EY Patented Sept. 30, 1952 I UNITED STATE-S r asiasi i DEvjIcE FonAPPLYIN 'i EnpETsTo-AN:

UP-RIGHT ADHESIVE summer: .g flfus w jwilson, "Huntingdon, Pa a ssigfnor "to Prism Prbdifm S,. Dayton. "o iiio, "acr m- This invention relates 130 2a ldflfiiqe for dispensing small pellets, ,and is designed-p m ri ytor applying minute :glass spheres tho-vertical surfaces.

It is common practice ,icr municipalities to paint or otherwise mark sections of.st;reet1curbs to designate parking restrictions or :th ;like. Refiectoriz'ed :trafiic stripes and cthermarkines being extensively used-0Y1streets and {h hway to provide improved night visibility, and for a like reason it is desirable that curb markin s be reflectorized. Reflectori'zed markings on :horizontal or substantially horizontal surfaces are provided by applying to :the surface to be zme fked a layer of a light colored .paintelikvbinder,iof the desired dimensions, and distributing over :said

binder, before it has dried, a. multiplicity of minute reflex-reflecting elements, -':usually glass spheres, which sink into :and Bare partially im-- bedded in the binder. The-spheres 'thus project above the binder and refiectfiightirom;the;head

lights of -an automobile-back .to the driver of that automobile. It is i-impractical kto refle'ctorize an upright surface of a curb orthe like by such a'method because of the "difficulty of applying 'the spheres to the w'et Ibinder {on said surface a curb.

JA further object or theinvehticii is rte :provide a. dispensing device which"can beaeasily manipulated to distribute small :pellet'scrra vertical or sharply inclined surface iwith substantial :lmi-

formity and without material waste. e A "further object of the invention ;is :to rIjI'OYid V such a dispensing device which :can {be easily manipulated by one: hand of-.the,;operator.

A further object of the-invention isrto-provi'de such a dispenser which -Wil1 apply" the .aproper quantity. of "pellets to the surface z bein'g Etreaited regardless of the speed at-whichethe dispenser-is moved: along? that surface.

-'A further object of ='.the= invention is;to:provi'de such a dispenser having-parts :'which .-wil1 aengage and move over i an iadhe'siveesuriace -;-without-. ad-

hering thereto or materiallyxdisplacing.ithe ad-g hesive.

Other objects of the invention may sappear. as

"the device is described in'detail.

'lis aperspective view 0': adispensingrde- *v'ice'embody ing the-invention ;1Fig.-2 is a sideel'e- 9 va sn' i suc a d ice; 3 :1 lay-1 9i? 19. View f SH h-WQWiW-L a is c-'v e 's! m1 view a e th ugh one fl wer pert e I s; T e d p n in :deric :Ei 15:1 5 sestm el. Weil 5 vi w of on c the uide rplle s; Fi 64 a ro t 1 atio n.- 1y b akenawayxefaei weifi e e m f dis enser; and ie i wide elevat on; of .i

spenser :of fie. a6 91 s end w lld he rec pta l xnke aw xtcsh y he inie r @1 ments. l v

these drawings it have illustrated ,two embodiments 'of my invention and have shown {the same as designed primarily ifor :apjplying glass spheres ito curbs or to io'ther upright surfaces to *Infthe embodiment illustrated eh Figs;

the {dispenser cornbrises-an upright reoer'itacle 1-D adapted to contain a quantit of nii'mite glass spheres or otherpellets, the term "fpellets fleein la s m wa r 'e i Q th receptacl'e'is as "of rectan '1" .r iin ndincludesei qet el ie re i?- t iw l f 11 "an afb ttp Jtomwa'll 14 isjprovided with an is wh ch may be. r suitable d Q6 4. er e sd f ii ivffih p lle :Q e a i ed sfie h sim s ams an distribute the v 'samegover an. upright "11,5120 whi a nilsbh ssb h mi'li 5 been e herwi erovified t a a v, {ace in the construction shown th s I distributzine rd c 1m th which a' bi nderor.adhesivehas'beentapplied,:biit it is to be understood that the dispenser as :a

fiherein used to include's'maill object's, g'raiiiie spaced some distance beyond the plane of the front wall of'the receptacle. Y

Suitable means are provided for controlling the v flow of the pellets through the outlet 15, and in i this form of the device a closure or gate 29 is supported beneath the bottom of the receptacle for movement'into and out of a position toclose 3 the outlet. Preferably the closure is'in the nature of a flat plate slidably mounted in the space between th rear portion IQ of the chute and the bottom wall of the receptacle'and is movable for-; j

,wardly and rearwardly to close and open the out 1;

let; An inclined lip 2| is carried bythe bottom wall in front of the outlet and arrangedto be en'- gaged by the forward end of the closure to'force the latter intotight engagement with the bottom wall when it is moved to its closed position.'

Thedispenser is provided with suitable means whereby it may be supported and manipulated,

fandthis means is here shown as a handle 22 rigidly secured to the back wall l2-of the receptacle. Any suitable operating means may be provided for actuating the closure but preferably this means is of such a character that it can'be actuated by the hand which grasps the handle 22. 'Iri'the particular arrangement illustrated this actuating means comprises a U-shaped lever 23 thearms of which are pivotally mounted between their ends on the respective end walls of the refceptacle. The lower portions 24 of the arms are connected with the closure 29, as by pivotally mounting the same on trunnions' 25 secured to and: extending outwardly beyond the respective edges of the closeup. The upper portions 26 of the arms extend upwardly and rearwardly so that thetransverse member or cross bar 21 of the lever extends across and is locatedadjacent to the upper, portion of the handle where it may be easily engaged and actuated by the thumb of the hand which graspsythe handle, the arrangement being such that a forward thrust on the cross bar will move the closure to outlet :opening position. The closure is yieldably urged. toward and retained inputletclosing position. In the arrangem'ent shown there is mounted on one, or both, of

the end walls I3 a spring 28 which actsjon the :lower portion of the. adjacent lever arm to'move thelclosure to outlet closing position when the pressure on the cross baris relieved. The lever ma'y conveniently be, "and is here shown as,

formed of'stiff wire bent to the desired shape,

- I; each arm being provided with a coiledportion 29 which is mounted on a'stud 30 projecting from thejadjacent end wall of the receptacle.

' When the pellets are to be applied to an up' right surface to which a binder'has been applied,

or which has otherwise been rendered adhesive, the operator grasps the handle 22, positions the forward edge of, the chute IT close to but out of contact with the adhesive surface and then moves the device-as a whole upwardlyso that the discharge end of the chute'moves upwardly in close relation to the adhesive surface-As this "upward movement begins theleveris actuated to open the outlet so that the pellets will flow 1 through the outlet onto the inclined chute,"-willbe distributed over the upper surface thereof and will be discharged from-the lower end of the-chute withv suflicient momentum to cause them to impin'ge againfst the adhesive surface. Thus upon each upward movement of the dispenser pellets 1 4 relation to the flow of is to avoid the discharge of more pellets than will adhere to the surface and to determine the ex-- tent to which the pellets, will cover the surface There may, of course, be some excess of pellets discharged from the chute, but in normal oper-' ation this'ex'ce'ss-will be 'small and the wastage of pellets 'w'ill bene'g'ligible.

' It is desirable that means be provided for prop I 'erly positioning the discharge end of the chute with relation to the adhesive surface and for maintaining it, in that position during the vertical movement of the dispenser. For this purpose the lo'weror discharfgerend of the chute may be pro- 15 videdwith guides having narrow edges to contact the verticalsu'rfaceand move over the same without adhering? thereto and without materially displacing the adhesive. Preferably these guides are in the "nature of rollers mounted adjacent the edges of the chute, and in the arrangement shown each roller-comprisesa ball bearingrthe inner race 31 of which 'isimounted on a rod 32 secured to and extending laterally beyond the lower portion of the chute. The outer race 33 has secured thereto an annular. member, such as a rubber tire 34,whichis V-FShaped in cross'section so as to provide the same witha sharp' circumferential edge which willengage the adhesive surface and move over the same without leaving any appreciablemark thereon; a- I In applying'the pellets to the surface the dispenser-may, of course, be moved either upwardlyor dowriwardlyjbut a much more'satisfactory application of thepellets is had when the receptacle is 'moved u'pwardly during the dispensing operation. I

In Figs; 6 and "I there is shown a dispenser havinglmeansnfor controlling the flow of pellets through the outlet in accordance with the distanjce I which the dispenser moves with relation tothesurface; being treated, thus providing a uniform distribution of pellets onthe surface regardless of the speed" at which the dispenser .m'oves. The receptacle 35 is similar tothe re- Mounted. within the. receptacle between the will'be distributed substantially uniformly over a portion of the surface having a Width approximately equal to the width of the chute. The speed i at which the dispenser is moved is regulated with spaced lower ends of the members 38 is a metering device which is here shown as. a fluted rotor 4c. The lower-portion of the rotor extends slightly beyond thelowler edges of the members 38 and has sealing-contact with the adja'cent ends of the sealing members .39. When the rotor is stationary it completely closes the "outlet '31 and when it is rotated the flutes therein are filled with pellets and moved successively into. line with the outlet, where the pellets are: discharged through the outlet. The sealing members 39 are adjustable, as by means of screws 4| to maintain the same in sealing contact withthe rotor. A chute 62 similar to the chute." is secured to the lower portion of the receptacle and provided at its lower or discharge edge with rollers 43 having sharp circumferential ed es, as abovedescribed; A driving connection is established .betweenat least one of the rollers 4,3 and the rotor'so that the pellets through the outlet rotary movement 'imparted'to that roller as it moves over thel'surface being treated-is transmitted to the rotor and the latter is rotated at a speed conforming to the speed of rotation of the roller. Thus the quantity of pellets discharged from the receptacle is determined by the speed at 'which'the receptacle is moved during the dispensing' operation. The driving connection betails thereof as various'modifications may occur to aperson skilledin the'art, 1

Having nowfully described m inventiong what I claim as new and desire-to "secure by Letters Patent,is: 1

1. Adevice for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets and having an outlet for said pellets, a downwardly and for: wardly inclined substantially fiat chute of substantial width supported by said receptacle to receive pellets from said outlet and to discharge said pellets substantially uniformly over the full width of the forward edge thereof, guide means supported by the outer'sides of said chute and extending forwardly beyond said forward edge of said chute to engage saidupright surface and space said edge a predetermined distancethererem, a handle secured to said receptacle and adapted to be gripped by the hand of an operator to support said receptacle and move the same vertically with said guide means in engagement with said upright surface, and means for controlling the fiow of pellets through said'outlet.

2. A device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets and having an outlet for said pellets, a downwardly and forwardly inclined and substantially flat chute of substantial width supported by said receptacle in a position to receive pellets from said outlet, guide members supported by the sides of said chute adjacent the outer end thereof, extending forwardly beyond the forward edge of said chute, and having narrow edges to engage said upright surface and space said forward edge of said chute a predetermined distance therefrom, a handle adapted to be gripped by the hand of an operator to support said receptacle and move the same vertically with said guide members in engagement with said upright surface, and means for controlling the flow of pellets through said outlet,

3. A device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets and having an outlet for said pellets, a downwardly and forwardly inclined and substantially fiat chute of substantial width supported by said receptacle in a position to receive pellets from said outlet, guide members carried by said chute adjacent the respective sides thereof extending forwardly beyond the forward edge of said chute to engage said upright surface and space said forward edge of said chutea predetermined distance therefrom,

a handle secured to said receptacle and adapted to be gripped by the hand Of an operator to support said receptacle and move the same vertically was l ar outlet' for said'pel lets, a do nwaidly and for 1 wardly in'cliried and subst'an aiiy fiatchuteof 'silbstantial width-supported in afpe'sitiq'n "to receive pelle rom= said outlet, rollers'mounte'd ori said chute jfaoent' the re: spective sides thereof, project" g-fforwardly; be= yond the forward-edge bfjsaidch'u'te andhavingf narrcw" edge's' to engagesaid upright surface-and space saidforward edged said chute a prede= termined -"-distance therefrom,- Friar-idle I secured to Saidibe ta lgaiidadantedtc-be gri e y the handof an operator to support said receptacle and to move the same vertically with said rollers in engagement with said upright surface, and means for controlling the flow of pellets through said outlet. t

5. A device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets and having an outlet for said pellets, a downwardly and forwardly inclined and substantially flat chute of substantial width supported by said receptacle in a'position' to receive pellets from said outlet, rollers supported by said chute adjacent the respective sides thereof, extending forwardly beyond the forward edge of said chute and having narrow edges to engage said upright surface and space said forward edge of said chute a predetermined distance therefrom, a handle secured to said receptacle, extendingrearwardly beyond the same and adapted to be gripped by the hand of an operator to support said receptacle and move the same vertically with said rollers in engagement with said upright surface to space said chute a predetermined distance therefrom, a gate to control the flow of pellets through said outlet, means biasing said gate to its closed position, and means supported adjacent said handle and operable by the hand that grips said handle for moving said gate against the action of said biasing means to an open position.

6. A device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets having an outlet for'said pellets, a downwardly and forwardly inclined and-substantially flat chute of substantial width supported by said receptacle in-a position to receive pellets from said outlet, rollers mounted on said chute adjacent the respective sides thereof and projecting forwardly beyond the forward edge of said chute and having narrow edges to engage said upright surface and space said forward edge of said chute a predetermined distance therefrom, a handle secured to said receptacle and adapted to begripped by the hand of an operator to support said receptacle and to move the same vertically with said rollers in engagement with said upright surface, a fluted roller in said receptacle to control the flow of pellets through said outlet, a sprocket chain connecting said fluted roller with the first mentioned rollers for rotation thereby.

7. A device for applying pellets to an upright adhesive surface, comprising a receptacle adapted to contain a quantity of pellets having'an outlet for said pellets, a downwardly and forwardly sides thereof and projecting forwardly beyond the forward edge of said chute and having narrow edges to engagesaid upright surface and space said forward edge of said chute a predeterrnined distance, therefrom, a rotatable device mounted in said receptacle to move measured quantities of pellets successively to'said outlet,

. transmission means driven by said rollers for,

actuating said-rotatable deviceata speed de-:

termined by the speed at which said receptacle is moved vertically, and a handle secured to said receptacle and adapted to be gripped by'the hand move the same vertically with-said rollers in engagementwith said upright'surface to space said chute a predetermined distance therefrom.

RUFUS W. WILSON.

of an operator tosupport said receptacle and 7 REFERENCES CITED The following. references are of record in the file ofthispatentz i UNITEDSTATES PA'IENTS Date Number Name 685,177 S'anford Oct. 22, 1901 716,409 Green et, a1 Dec. 23, 1902 807,301 Monta 'Dec. 12, 1905 1,639,238 Tarrant Aug. 16, 1927 1,729,712 Daignas- -Oct. 1, 1929 1,769,480 Williams 1. July 1, 1930 1,828,738 Hood 0013.27, 1931 2,211,435 Peterson. Aug. 13, 1940 2,241,863 Lett May 13,1941 2,278,948 Rodli etal Apr. 7, 1942 5 j FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number Country. 7 I Date 321,857 Great Britain Nov. 21, 1929 510,518,

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